Hole in My Life Book Review

Hole in My Life was written by Jack Gantos in 2002. This book tells of his teenage years, right after graduating from high school. He managed to get caught up in a drug running scheme. We hear about the joyful days spent sailing a ship full of hash, and also about the gruesome nights spent in solitary confinement in prison. This story focuses largely on the life experience that Gantos gained during these times. The main character is named Jack, and he is 20 years old. The story takes place in California among other places, in the 1970’s. Jack is confronted by a man offering him a large sum of money if Jack only helps him smuggle marijuana into the U.S. jack accepts, and soon gets entangled in the glories and perks of drug running. Eventually, karma catches up, and everyone involved in the operation gets arrested, and thrown in jail.
The theme of the story is that there are laws and rules for a reason, and abiding by those laws is usually the best choice. In this book (and in his life), Gantos did not follow these rules, and was punished. The mood of Hole in My Life is very energetic. Jack is discovering a whole new world. This is his first time on his own, and he travels, writes, and has fun.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot. I liked how the author developed jack so well that I actually felt as if I knew him. I felt invested in the conclusion of the story; I was sad when Jack got caught, I was nervous while he was in jail, and I was ecstatic when he got out. This one of the many aspects of Gantos’s writing that makes it so enjoyable to read.